The Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) will build upon the remarkable strengths of the University of Wisconsin (UW) in neuroscience research to provide state-of-the-art resources, infrastructure, and expertise in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related illnesses. With the major focus on preclinical and early diagnosis and progression of AD, the Wisconsin ADRC will expand the scientific objectives of the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention (WRAP) and significantly enhance care of Wisconsin residents suffering from the devastations of AD. Comprised of six Cores (i.e., Administrative, Clinical, Data Management and Biostatistics, Neuropathology and Biomarkers, Education and Transfer and the Minority Recruitment Satellite Program), the ADRC builds upon the highly successful UW research program in AD and several recent convergent developments. These developments include a new focus of the UW leadership on AD, substantial institutional and state financial commitment to AD research, presence of several renowned programs in neuroscience on the UW campus, outstanding UW clinical programs, an extensive statewide network of dementia diagnostic clinics, access to minority, low-income and rural populations through the Minority Recruitment Satellite Program (MRSP), acknowledged status of several UW investigators in AD research, and close collaborations between numerous UW centers and institutes in aging and neuroscience research. Among others, these centers and institutes include the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute, the UW Waisman Center, the UW Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, the NIH/CTSA-funded Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR), the Institute on Aging, the Madison Veterans Affairs (VA) Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), the National Primate Research Center, the Biotechnology Center, the Genome Center, and the Clinical and Translational Research Core (formerly known as the UW GCRC). Given the access to outstanding resources and expertise, the Wisconsin ADRC is well poised to make novel contributions to the field of AD research and provide outstanding clinical care to patients suffering from the devastations of the disease.